The invention relates to a mechanical brace and in particular to an ankle, knee and hip orthesis, aimed at preventing and correcting deformation in bending of the joints, and at developing dynamic balance in children with motor development disorder.
In subjects affected by cerebral pathologies of prenatal or perinatal origin, the tendency to adopt a bent position of the knee joint often develops, due to insecurity that derives from adoption of an aligned erect position. This unnatural position tends to cause progressive lengthening of the extensor tendons, with shortening of the flexors, which over time causes a worsening of the condition of the subject, also with involvement of the other joints of the lower limb, i.e. the ankle and hip joints.
To attempt to prevent or correct deformation in the bending of the knee in the child or adult, devices are used, which are fitted to the limbs to correct the defect in posture and carriage.
For example, is known the use of plaster or plastic casts, from thigh to foot or from thigh to leg, which immobilize the joint for a certain period of time.
The use of thigh-leg braces is also known, wherein connection between the thigh grip and the leg grip consists of a rigid metal splint and the knee joint is made to extend by elastic compression exerted on the patella.
The use of thigh-leg braces is also known, wherein the connection between thigh cuff and leg cuff is produced by means of rigid splints connected by a mechanical joint, substantially obtained with a hinged joint, coaxial with the anatomical knee joint.
Another known solution is the use of a canvas casts, from thigh to leg, secured to the limb with straps and Velcro® fixings, which comprise metal or plastic splints inserted in fabric pockets that extend, parallel to each other, along the entire length of the cast.
The patent DE 200 05 366 U1 discloses a brace for dynamically correcting the bending of the knee comprising a thigh grip, a leg grip and connection means between said thigh grip and said leg grip, where said connection means comprise two flat flexible profiles that work in extension, elastically opposing the bending of the knee. However, this embodiment does not allow correction of the bending of the ankle and hip joints, which must be usually implemented in children with motor development disorder. Moreover, it does not allow freedom of movement and changes of position that are typical needs of the child, and therefore becomes intolerable to the wearer.
The defects of currently known devices consist essentially in that fact that:                they are heavy and cumbersome devices;        they limit the freedom of the person, reducing the possibility of movement;        they limit the functional exercise of walking, with anti-therapeutic effect;        they hamper passage from a sitting or lying position to an upright posture;        they cause excessive heating of the limb during the summer season;        they are generally not well tolerated, particularly by children.        